It’s been a while since I’ve seen anything quite like Splitsville. In fact, I’m not sure any movie in recent memory combines romance and slapstick quite like Michael Angelo Covino’s comedy in which relationships are open, home décor is pricey, and bro code does not exist. The film centers on two couples with two very different relationships, and the wildly inappropriate ways they manage to intertwine. PSA: If you’re not a fan of nudity, this movie won’t be for you.

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We open with married couple Ashley (Adria Arjona) and Cary (Kyle Marvin) road-tripping to a weekend getaway. The pair witnesses a horrible car crash, and Ashley’s unsuccessful attempt to resuscitate the female passenger rattles her to her core. Still shaken, she admits to Cary that she is not happy in their marriage and wants a divorce. Certainly, a way to ruin any weekend before it even begins.

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The two go their separate ways; Ashley back to their apartment, and Cary to a glamorous beach house owned by his bougie pals Paul (Covino) and Julie (Dakota Johnson). The couple’s idyllic existence, spent drinking wine and making pottery, appears impenetrable. Cary is surprised to learn the reason: The two have agreed to an open marriage. At first, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy seems to work. That is until lines get blurred, friends become lovers, and jealousy comes to blows over Julie’s fickle affection.

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Splitsville is almost excessively silly, with physical comedy reminiscent of a 2010s Seth Rogen film. Thankfully, the film’s cinematography makes it more classy than crass. Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra creates a mellow, retro aesthetic that helps set it apart from your typical screwball comedy. Johnson’s performance is so captivating you’ll wonder why she was bothering with either of those guys. There’s also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance by the highly underrated O-T Fagbenle that feels like it could have been fleshed out, but I digress.

 

Splitsville is enjoyable overall, mostly for how it uses humor to illustrate the ever-changing dynamics of long-term romantic relationships. If you don’t think too hard about it and come for the vibes, you’ll have a good time.